Big Lights Will Inspire You
by alienofextraordinaryability
Summary: It had been three years since their messy divorce, two years since they'd last seen each other, and one since she decided she was over him. But he reappears in her life, and so do the butterflies that had been lying dormant in the pit of her stomach...
1. Fancy Meeting You Here

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Glee or any of the characters. If I did Werri would still be married. And making babies.

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><p><em>Fancy Meeting You Here<em>

"Louise, will you please come here." Terri said sternly, her hands on her hips, staring at the couch that had just been set in front of her. A petite woman scurried into the room, her heels clicking obnoxiously against the hardwood floor, her oversized glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

"Yes Mrs. Del Monaco?" she asked quietly.

"Would you mind telling me what color this couch is?"

"It's uhm, it's red. Well, it's ruby red."

"Right…ruby red." she responded with a nod of her head, her jaw clenching as she forced her lips to curve into a smile. "And would you just remind me of what color I asked for?" Her lips pursed tightly, eyebrows arched expectantly. The woman flipped through her notes, visibly paling in moments.

"Maroon…"

"Could you speak up? I couldn't hear you." Of course she could hear her, but she needed her to understand the magnitude of this error.

"Maroon. You asked for maroon." A bitter laugh slipped from her lips and she rubbed her temples gently.

"Yes, I did. I asked you to order this couch in _maroon._ So please help me understand why it's ruby red!" Her tone increased with each word, her frustration seeping from every inch of her. "I cannot afford these simple mistakes, Louise! I am the most sought after interior decorator in this city, and my reputation cannot afford to take a hit." With an agitated sigh and a flip of her hair she left Louise standing next to the incorrect piece of furniture, shutting herself up in the den with her cell phone.

Leaving Lima had never been a reality for her; sure, it had been a lifelong dream, but never something she saw in her future… Will had picked up the teaching gig to get them some extra cash, so they could afford the down-payment on an apartment somewhere far away. Before long he fell in love with the job and they were stuck. About a year after the divorce she had made the decision to venture out on her own, start a new life for herself rather than stick around to watch Will find his way back to his precious Emma. She had wound up in New York, with enough money set aside to afford a small apartment. It had been almost two years now, and she had successfully worked her way up the ladder, and was one of the leading interior decorators in the city, and soon enough she was sure to be number one in the state.

"Another drink! I need another drink." she muttered with a sloppy grin.

"Someone is in an especially good mood tonight." Jason nudged her shoulder gently, smirking confidently at her. He had been one of the first people she had met in New York, he lived in the apartment across from her. Jason had been a good friend to her, when she set aside the fact that ninety nine percent of the time he was trying to get in her pants.

"Despite my imbecile of an assistant, today has been wonderful. I managed to finish the Martin's living room and I picked up two new clients. New York is so damn good to me!" she exclaimed, tilting her head back and laughing. Terri wasn't drunk, she couldn't even recall the last time she was drunk. But she was tipsy, high off of her environment, the turn her life had taken, finally happy after a year of pure heartache. "Mr. Bartender, my glass is still empty. Keep up!" she added, her soft giggle turning into a delicate hiccup.

"God, even your hiccups are adorable." His hand slipped onto her thigh, fingertips tracing along the smooth skin, brushing just underneath the hem of her skirt.

"Jason…" she warned, pushing his hand away firmly. "Do not ruin my evening. I'm in a good mood, but that doesn't mean my legs are just going to open up for you." Terri rolled her eyes, taking a long sip of her drink. She set some dollar bills on the bar and sent a warm smile in the bartender's direction. "Goodnight. And please, don't follow me out." The night air was cool against her warm skin, the moon was full, and the city was practically buzzing. The city that never sleeps. Her apartment was about four blocks away, and she wasn't in the mood to be hit on by some scummy cab driver that smelled of hot dogs and stale cigarettes…walking it was. She licked her lips absentmindedly, running a hand through her hair as she weaved slowly through a small crowd. Her heel got caught in a crack in the sidewalk, she managed to catch herself but her wallet flew out of her hands and hit the pavement with a soft thud. "Damn it." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Let me get that for you…are you okay?" Terri sighed dramatically, already regretting her decision to walk home in her current inebriated state.

"Yeah, I'm fine. These damn heels catch on every little crack and I…" Her words trailed off as she met the gaze of the man who had helped her. "Will?" she questioned, eyes wide, heart pounding furiously in her chest, the butterflies in the pit of her stomach reawakening.

"Ter?" Her chest tightened at the sound of her nickname rolling off his tongue with such ease. The tension was thick in the air around them, overwhelming her already blurred mind.

"Fancy meeting you here..."


	2. Try To Understand

_Try To Understand.._

"What are you doing in New York?"

"I live here. Moved here a few years ago, actually."

"I always knew New York would be a good fit for you." Back in high school they had discussed moving to New York on more than one occasion; so he could fulfill his lifelong dream, and she could make a name for herself in the big city. _"New York could be great for us."_ That's what he had told her, and now here they both were, in New York, further apart than ever before. She cleared her throat softly, casting her gaze to the sidewalk. "It's been a long time…"

"Yeah, I, uh…it has." They stood there awkwardly for a few moments, Terri balancing her weight from one foot to the other, Will's hands shoved in his pockets, sneaking glances at her. "I should get going…I have a lot to do tomorrow and it's getting late." She couldn't stay there any longer, she wouldn't allow herself to. If she did they'd get to talking, and he'd flash her _that_ smile, and she'd melt at his feet like she always used to…she'd get to listen to his tales of the second love he had managed to find with that obsessive compulsive freak.

"Oh, of course! Yeah, I'm sure you have a busy schedule…" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, catching the eye of the woman he had once vowed to love for the rest of his life. "But maybe we could catch up sometime. I mean, I live here now and we…it's been a while." Her eyes widened in surprise, but she tried to make her astonishment less obvious. Rummaging through her wallet she found one of her business cards, handing it to him carefully, his fingertips brushing against her own for the briefest of moments. They had been together for sixteen years, and they had spent the better of three years apart…they could be cordial at the very least.

"My number is on there. Give me a call, I guess." she said with a simple shrug and a warm smile.

"Interior decorator, huh? I can't say I'm surprised…that apartment was a disaster before you fixed it up." he admitted with a soft chuckle, taking note of how her cheeks reddened slightly.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a disaster. And all I did was hang up some picture frames and cover our plain couch in decorative pillows." She smiled, almost uncomfortably; she relived their past on a pretty consistent basis, but now that he was the one pushing her into the past she didn't much care for it. "But if you can afford me, I'd be more than willing to take a look, make some suggestions…" Terri took a deep breath, pointing in the direction she had been heading in, smiling softly. She really had to get going, and she was pretty sure if she stayed in his presence any longer she'd break down. "I'll see you around, Will."

"Yeah…yeah, I'll see you." He toyed with her business card between his fingertips, watching her for a moment before continuing on to his own destination. Terri muttered a series of curses under her breath, a part of her not surprised that their paths had crossed once more. Their entire lives they were always happening upon each other. It started in elementary school, both of them winding up in the same homeroom every year…in high school his locker was a few away from her own…and now after three years apart they had stumbled upon each other in a city full of people. Fate had this way of tossing them together, but Terri wasn't prepared for more heartache, and with Will that was all she seemed to get.

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><p>"Mommy! <em>Mommy! <em>I want my cereal!" Terri rubbed at her temples, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Babygirl, please use your inside voice. Mommy has a headache." The little girl frowned, tip-toeing over to her mother, scooting close to her on the couch, resting her head against her side.

"I'm sorry, mommy." she whispered. "I'll be quiet…can I have some cereal?" A soft grin broke out onto Terri's features, unable to deny her adorable daughter.

"Of course you can, babygirl. With the marshmallows?" BreAnna nodded her head excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah!" She pressed a kiss to her hair, getting up and heading into the kitchen. It had been almost a week since she had stumbled into William on the streets of New York…and she had spent the last seven days anxiously awaiting a phone call. When the call never came, she figured it was for the best. There were a lot of things she wasn't prepared to tell him, it was better this way. Right? Her only real concern was BreAnna…she deserved to know her father, and Terri felt like she was being selfish. Keeping her from Will because of what he had done to her, because of the way they had left things.

"Shit." she muttered to herself. She had opened up a can of worms…handing him her number like they were old friends who lost touch for too many years. But seeing him that night had sparked something in her, something she had tried to forget. Looking into his eyes that night felt like home, and warmth, and safety. She'd be lying if she said she didn't still have feelings for him, if she said she didn't still love the man he used to be…

BreAnna was settled on the floor in the living room, watching Cinderella for the hundredth time, and pretending that her Barbies were going to the mall.

"Barbie, you wear this. It sparkles!" She stuck her tongue out, concentrating on the important task at hand, securing the Velcro on the back of the dress when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" BreAnna loved having people come over, especially when it was unexpected; mostly because she got to show off her toys and her pretty pink room. Terri always told her to ask who it was before she even considered opening the door, but she usually forgot, and this was one of those times. She flung the door open, biting her lip nervously when she saw a stranger standing on the doorstep. After some hesitation, she hid herself behind the door, peering out at the tall man with curious eyes. "Hi." Will's eyes widened in surprise, his knees almost giving out as he found himself looking into the eyes of a miniature Terri.

"Hi…" he murmured quietly, still too taken aback to form words.

"I'm not apposed to let strangers in." she said sweetly, glancing at him up and down, her nose scrunching in distaste. "Your shoes are ugly." And he couldn't help but smile at the blatant honesty of this little girl.

"Babygirl…you know you're not supposed to open the door unless you know who it is!" Will shifted his gaze when he heard Terri's voice coming from inside, his heart thumping erratically in his chest. She scooped her up in her arms, balancing BreAnna on her hip as she pulled the door completely open, blushing softly. "Hi, Will.." The little girl's head fell against Terri's shoulder, holding on to her tightly, her legs wrapping around her waist.

"You're a mom." And he couldn't deny that the role suited her well.

"I am…" _And you're a father._ But she couldn't say that, it wasn't fair to BreAnna…that wasn't how she wanted her daughter to find out. "Come in." Terri stepped aside carefully, not bothering to ask how Will had managed to find her address. "We were just having breakfast, did you want to join us?"

"It's marshmallow cereal!" BreAnna added with a giggle.

"Well how can I say no to that?" he asks with a smile, quietly following behind them towards the kitchen.

"Want to go set an extra place at the table?" The little girl nods her head softly, toying with a strand of Terri's hair.

"Okay, momma." Terri pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek and set her down carefully, smiling nervously at Will.

"She looks just like you, Ter." Someone had to break the ice, why not him? If he was being completely honest, he was a bit hurt that Terri hadn't told him she had a daughter. Sure, it wasn't exactly his business…and yeah, they hadn't done the best job of keeping in touch…but that was beside the point.

"Thanks…she's my little angel." she whispered. How could he not see it? How could he not see the blatant similarities between him and the little girl in the other room? She had to assume it was merely because he wasn't looking for any. They were impossible for her to ignore. "You don't have to have the marshmallow cereal. I do have some more grown up options if you'd rather."

"Who can say no to marshmallow cereal?" he asked with a grin. She nodded and turned to get another bowl, and the smile slid from his face. They were supposed to have had this; all those years ago, they were supposed to have their family…instead she had gone and had a child with some other man, some other man who clearly wasn't around anymore, some other man who probably wasn't good enough for Terri in the first place.

"Coffee or juice?" she asked, setting the third bowl on a small tray.

"Coffee would be great. Cream and-."

"Two sugars. I remember." He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, a delicate red creeping up his cheeks.

"Will! You're gonna sit next to me. Come on!" she urged, more comfortable now that her mother had acknowledged the man and allowed him into their home. BreAnna grasped onto Will's hand, tugging him with her into the dining room. Terri wiped away a stray tear, breathing in deeply, picking up the tray and walking into the dining room with her head held high.

"Do you like Barbies? I have _ten_ Barbies! Mommy plays them with me sometimes.. She named one Terri!" she said with a laugh, shoveling in a spoonful of marshmallows.

"You have to eat the cereal too, not just the marshmallows." Terri reminded her gently, picking up a napkin and dabbing at the milk that dribbled down the little girl's chin.

"I memorized my phone number, you know. Mommy says I'm the smartest girl in the world."

"Well I bet you are. Your mommy is a very smart girl too."

"I know. That's why everyone wants mommy to make their house pretty, duh." The little girl rolled her eyes, her feet swinging back and forth absentmindedly. "I'm done eating." she announced before hopping down from the table, skipping back to the living room.

"She really is like your clone, Ter. It's…it's stunning." he admitted, taking another sip of his coffee.

"BreAnna is my whole world. After everything I went through trying to get pregnant…she's my miracle." she whispered, clearing her throat. "Anyways, enough about that. How are you? How are things with Emma?" He shrugged his shoulders, a gentle sigh slipping from his lips.

"Emma and I…we just don't fit." he admitted, looking over at her. "She got divorced, and we tried things out. I just didn't feel what I felt when…well, in other relationships."

"I'm sorry, Will. I really thought you guys would make it." Lie. But what else was she supposed to do? Sing hallelujah and jump for joy? That'd be inappropriate, and just because Will wasn't with Emma didn't mean he'd be with her…didn't mean their problems would be fixed…didn't mean he still felt for her the way she felt for him. Her eyes met his and her breath caught in her throat, damn those butterflies. "I should clean up. I'm sure BreAnna would love it if you played Barbies with her."

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><p>"You can be the boy Barbie. I only have one, and he only has one outfit." she told him, sitting cross-legged on the floor.<p>

"Okay. And what is the boy Barbie's name?" he asked, trying to ignore the fact that he was about to play Barbies.

"His name is Ken, silly."

"Oh, right. Ken. Okay, which one are you going to be?"

"I'll be Elise. She's Ken's sister." she decided with a firm nod. Barbies was serious business, and she had to teach Will the ropes. "Barbies go to the beach, and the mall, and Pottery Barn." Will chuckled, glad to see that some things never changed. "And it's Ken's job to take care of the puppy."

"Oh, a puppy, huh? And what is the puppy's name?"

"Schuester." BreAnna reached into her Barbie basket, pulling out this small stuffed dog. Will arched an eyebrow curiously, it was a rather unusual name for a dog.

"Schuester?" he asked, swallowing the lump in his throat, trying not to jump to any sort of conclusion.

"Mhm. Wanna know how I picked it?" He couldn't formulate words so he simply nodded his head. Had Terri suggested it? Perhaps she had never really let go of him, never moved on, maybe there was still hope.

"It's my last name!" she said with a giggle. "Isn't it silly? It's a good name for a puppy though." His eyes widened, his mouth parting slightly…had he just heard her correctly?

"What?" Terri was standing in the doorway, frozen to the spot, her heart in the pit of her stomach. Oh no.

"My name, silly. BreAnna Elise Schuester!"

"Oh shit…" Terri mumbled under her breath, catching Will's and BreAnna's attention.

"Mommy said a bad word! You owe me a quarter!"

"Okay, babygirl. I'll go put it in the jar…" That was not how she had wanted him to find out; actually, now that he knew, she was pretty sure she would rather he never found out ever. She moved back to the kitchen, pacing anxiously, running a hand through her hair, her back pressing against the fridge, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Are you kidding me?" Her gaze shot up at his voice, staring at him with apologetic eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Will…" she breathed, taking a step closer to him, hoping to defuse the situation. "Please try to understand…You made it pretty damn clear it was nothing more than a one night stand. You were doing so well with the glee club, and you were trying so hard to win back Emma I just-."

"You can't keep using that as an excuse, Terri!" he exclaimed, trying to keep his voice quiet so BreAnna wouldn't hear.

"It's the truth, Will! What was I supposed to do, huh? Tell you I was pregnant? You wouldn't have believed me!"

"Damn it, Terri, I had a right to know!" He clenched his fists in frustration, using everything inside of him to keep from slamming his fists against the countertops.

"I made a decision. I decided that we'd all be better off if you didn't know, and guess what? We have been."

"I've missed out on three years of my daughter's life. _Three years._ How could you do this to me?" His tone was thick with anger, disgust, and a twinge of guilt. "Screw you, Terri."

"Screw you! You used me and tossed me out like I was garbage. You let your drag queen girlfriend talk down to me without saying a fucking word in my defense. You let our marriage crumble the second that freak of a guidance counselor came into your life! You were my everything for so many years Will, and once we separated you treated me like a second class citizen, and I didn't deserve that. I know what I did wasn't fair, but it was a decision I had to make. And I don't regret it, not for one second." She was breathing heavily, tension thick in the air around them.

"Mommy…are you okay? Why are you crying?" BreAnna hurried to her mother's side, wrapping her arms around her leg. "Don't cry mommy." She glared over at Will. "You made my mommy cry! Say you're sorry!" He took a deep breath, sighing gently, looking down at the little girl, his little girl.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to I promise…I think I'm just going to go." He clenched his jaw, not really wanting to leave his daughter, not sure when he'd get to see her again. "I'll call you later. We need to talk about this…I have certain rights, you know." He spoke fiercely, with a passion she hadn't witnessed in a long time. She watched him walk away, listening as the front door slammed.

"It's okay, momma. He's gone now..no more crying." she whispered, lifting her arms up, silently asking Terri to pick her up. She quickly obliged, looking down at her daughter, smiling sadly as the girl brushed away Terri's tears with her small fingertips. "I love you, mommy." BreAnna buried her face in the crook of her mother's neck, her arms wrapping around her as best they could.

"I love you too, babygirl...never forget that." She should have known that running into Will wouldn't bring anything but heartache and a lot of guilt. And now he knew, and soon BreAnna would know, and she wasn't sure she was ready for all of that. But it was becoming apparent that she didn't have much of a choice.


End file.
